Football-player&#39;s pad



Oct. 12,1926. 1,602,454

J. T. RIDDELL I FOOTBALL PLAYER'S PAD Filed August 11, 1924 portion ofthe players body. In t Patented Oct. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES J '1. RIDDELL, OI EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

FOOTBALL-PLAYERS- ran.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a which Fig. 1 is a front view of a football layersuniform equipped with pads embo ying part of this specification, and 111the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a section through a pad;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partial view taken on line i-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a section through another form of pad.

The form of construction illustrated the drawings comprises afootballplayers uniform which may, in general, be of any usual ordesired construction, the one illustrated being the ordinary union suit.Suitable pockets or rece tacles 5 are formed in or on this uniform orthe reception of the pads for the protection of the player,

said pockets being formed at the-knees,

thighs, hips and sides, shoulder and neck portions thereof as indicated.

Arranged in each of said pockets is a pad' for the protection of thecorresgonding of pad illustrated in" Fig. 4, each of these pads com.-rises a soft flexible central core 6 formed .0 sponge rubber havinginflatable cavities therein, said cavities being filled 5', with gasunder pressure. The core 6 is covered with a sealing casing 7 also ofsoft flexible rubber as shown. The core 6 '7 is ,enclosed in a'softflexible inflatable rubber bag 8 and secured in said bag by means ofradiating rubber positioning fingers or arms 9 securedto the edges ofthe core and to the inner walls of the bag as indicated. Each bagis alsoprovided with a suitable inflating nipplelO of any usual or desired '55-construction whereby the bag may. be inair under pressure, thereby filleform ing the space in the bag aroundthe core 6-7 with air underpressure. One of the said pads or bags is inserted 1n each pocket 5 inthe uniform 4 and suitably inflated, thus serving to protectthecorresponding portion ofthe "body of the player. By thisconstruction, a light wei ht comparatively flexible protection i provied for the player affording a maxim m of protection and freedom ofmovement. In case one of the bags 8 should become punctured or otherwisedeflated, the core 67 will in and by itself afford a considerablemeasure of protection. When the bag isproperly inflated this centralcore gives roper form and stability thereto and also a ords protec tionagainst unusually severe blows or shocks which might be sufficient toindent the sides of the inflated bag into contact with each other. Theeffect of the enclosed air or gas under pressure in the bag 8 is todistribute the shock or force of received blows or jars substantiallyuniformly over'the entire bearing surface of the pad and thus preventinjury to the player.

In the form of ad illustrated in Fig. 3 the outer bag 8 is dlspensedwithentirely and simply the sealing casing or ba 7 filled with the spongerubber filling bo y employed. The pad thus formed is inflated byinserting a needle therein in the usual manner for inflating rubberballs and the like, a sealing composition bein employed for sealing theuncture forme by the inflating needle. ransverse openings or passages'11 are formedthrough the pad for ventilating purposes. This orm of padis a very simple construction, capable of economical manufacture and, itis thought, will be generally found to be the preferable form ofconstruction. It is also to be noted that in case of puncture of theouter sealingcasin or pad the confined air or other gas wi esca e butslowly and even after the esca e of the confined gas a very efficientpad wi 1 be provided due to the effect of the cavities in the spongerubber filling.

, The construction illustrated in vFig. 5 is the same as thatillustrated in Fig. 4 except that the central core for the-pad has beenomitted. This form of construction constitutes'a very simple one but, ofcourse, in

case of uncture, the-v pad is almost completely estroyed. I

-While Ihave illustrated and described the preferred formof-construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capableof variation and modification without depart ing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore-do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsof construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as 'come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a football players uniformhaving pockets therein, of a flexible inflatable rubber bag insertablein said pockets; and a soft pad-like filling for said bag, said fillingbeing formed of sponge rubber having minute cavities therein filled withgas under pressure, substantially as described.

2. A football players pad comprising a flexible inflatable bag, and asoft pad-like filling for said bag, said bag and filling being filledwith gas under pressure, and there being transverse ventilating openingsextending through said bag and filling, substantially as described.

'3. A football players pad comprising an inflatable rubber casing filledwith sponge rubber having minute cavities therein, said casing and saidcavities being filled with gas under pressure and said casing being,permanently sealed to prevent escape of said gas, there being transverseventilating openings extending through said casing and filling,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN T. RIDDELL.

